This disclosure relates generally to X-ray imaging systems and methods, and more particularly to X-ray imaging system and method with a motorless real-time controllable three-dimensional (3D) X-ray collimator that blocks certain portions of an X-ray beam to produce arbitrarily shaped X-ray beams.
A collimator is an important component in an X-ray imaging system. The collimator is used to form the shape of an X-ray beam such that only the necessary region of patient anatomy is radiated by the X-ray beam. Existing collimators produce an X-ray beam having either a rectangular shape or a nearly circular shape or the combination of the two shapes. The rectangular shaped X-ray beam is formed by collimator blades, while the circular shaped X-ray beam is formed by a collimator iris. Usually, the collimator blades and iris are driven by electric motors.
Current X-ray imaging systems have two major disadvantages. First, the region of interest of the patient's anatomy may have different shapes. With an existing collimator, a larger area of anatomy is radiated by an X-ray beam to cover the region of interest. Second, X-ray radiation is exposed to the X-ray detector, which not only reduces the life of the X-ray detector but also introduces image artifacts such as lag and gain hysteresis. In addition, the use of electric motors degrades the reliability of the X-ray imaging system.
The present discloser discloses a motorless real-time controllable 3D X-ray collimator that forms an X-ray beam with arbitrarily desirable shapes without an electric motor. The 3D X-ray collimator overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of existing collimator technology. With proper system and method control mechanisms, this disclosure can reduce X-ray radiation dose to the patient, enhance image quality, and improve X-ray imaging system and method reliability.